Prostate

The prostate is part of a man's sex organs. It's about the size of a walnut and surrounds the tube called the urethra, located just below the bladder. Women do not have a prostate gland.

The urethra has two jobs: to carry urine from the bladder when you urinate and to carry semen during a sexual climax, or ejaculation. Semen is a combination of sperm plus seminal fluid that the prostate adds.

To work properly, the prostate needs male hormones (androgens). Male hormones are responsible for male sex characteristics. The main male hormone is testosterone, which is made mainly by the testicles. Some male hormones are produced in small amounts by the adrenal glands.

If the prostate grows too large, the flow of urine can be slowed or stopped.

Inflammation of the prostate gland is known as prostatitis.

Diagram of the prostate and nearby organs